Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-05-12

.sGoing to run awayr' repeated Tad.
in tones of the utmost establishment.
What for?"
well" was the reluctant answer,
.'there are good many reasons. I'm
tired of being thrashed so much, for
one thing" said Joe, squirming around
rather uneasily, as though he found
sitting on the edge of the piazza un-
comfortable, ''and TIM tired of farm
work, too. Besides" he added. boldly,
Il want to be detective-Mr. Bios
som said he'd bet I'd make real smart
one" 4-~sa .sa~ s ss
"Then, bine-bye. yox'H be goin' of. :
continued Joe. mournfully, as Tad
stared at his friend in CONSERVATION too
deep for words, g and you're the only
fellow ever cared any thing for. any
way"
mo, indeed, won't!'' eagerly ex-
claimed Tad; I'm going to stay here
and grow up-Miss Smiths my own
Aunt Rhody, that I never saw-we
only found it out by accident And
Tad related all, with which our reader
is familiar, to Joe's open-mouthed
amazement-
"Joe," said Tad, gently, ''what do
YOU s'pose your mother would do with
out her boy?
That was touching tender spot.
Joe loved his mother better than any
thing or anybody in the wide world,
and Joe was the very apple of her eye.
The boy drew his sleeve across his face,
while the visions of being detective
were entirely obscured by some trouble
some tears.
Come, old fellow" continued Tad,
throwing his arm about his friend s
neck, ..you know you don't mean it.
Why, it would just about kill your folks
to have you 60 off this way; and then
what would I do, if you should run
away?"
-guess-I-won't-go, after -
all,'' said Joe, brokenly, and the de-
termination cheered him wonderfully.
In five minutes he was chuckling over
the incidents of Edwards capture. and
the conversation became general.
.'But tell you, Joe," Tad remarked,
as he rose to his feet, seems to me
I've been getting considerable mor'n
| my share of good things, for one day
| five hundred and fifty dollars, and
Aunt Rhoda into the bargain"
at hasn't been such a bad day all
| round, when you come to think of it, y
responded Joe, with his customary
| grin There was Mr.. Atherton got
his sachel, Mis-. Mason her cloak and
things. Cap'n and Mis- Flagg has got
| somethin' to talk about, Miss Smith got
| Mysteries, Mr.. Blossom got Edwards,
Edwards got caught, and t. said Joe,
as a fine summing up, got a ride-ten
dollars from Mr.. Blossom for upsetting
a buggy-and jolly good ickin' fol-
drivin' stable-team,s when I'd been
told not to. ~"
And Joe, with ightened heart and
a friendly nod, stole back to the shelter
of the paternal roof, reaching his
| chamber in safety; while Tad sought
his own little room, where, with very
full heart. he knelt by his bedside and
thanked the Good Father of all mercies
for the wonderful way in which He had
| directed his boyish steps. Then Tao
undressed and went to bed, just as tht
| tall clock downstairs struck twelve
and thus ended the day of SO many
wonderful events.
Thus, too. my simple story is virtual
" ended-with the future of its charac
tiers have nothing now to do. At tn,
present time
Tad Thorne is an active, growing
boy. of good principles and industriou.
habits, a capital scholar, and source
of constant comfort and companionshiI
to-
Miss Rhoda Smith, who seems to have
grown ten years younger since thu
events of which have been writing
She has formally adopted Tad, and i
more proud of him even than is
| Captain Flagg, who looks upon him
self-to use his own words-as 9Th
insterment, under Providence, which
was the means of interducin' Tad t,
his Aunt Rhody' He has, at tn
earnest request of his wife and adopte,
daughter, abandoned his perilous call
ing. and turned over the command o
the coaster to Ephraim-now Cap'l
Small.
Polly Flagg is growing up into on
of the incest girls / ever knew. Tha
she has never been able to discover an,
thing further as TO her parentag
gives her no uneasiness-in fact, sh
gives it little thought, being a healthy
sensible young miss, with no romanti
fancies as to mysterious birthrights'
and the like. She is trying to live $
that in the fullness of Gods tim
she shall meet her own angel mother
who so long ago was laid under tn
daisies which nod above the greel
mounds in Bixport church-yard. Mean
while, her love for good Mrs. Flag
and the Captain grows even stronge
as the days go on; while they, on thei
part, know no difference between Poll
and a child of their own flesh ant
blood. And that Polly and Tad are tn
best of friends goes without saying
while they seem to exercise a sort C
joint proprietorship in Bounce, VIII
grows bigger, more affectionate, know
ing and gruff-voiced every week
while
Joe Whitney is really getting to b
1 rnor. tract able and less miSchieyoIl,